“Everyone says that migrants are the ruin of Italy and now it seems that words are being transformed into concrete actions. This government is making people racist.” These are the words of Bouiaguy Konate, the young chef from Mali wounded two days ago with a pellet gun in Corso Umberto in Naples. The police, who are investigating the wounding, have not ruled out the possibility that it was not racially motivated but rather an act by gangs of young people who have previously opened fire on passers-by. “The propaganda of these weeks has become absurd and must stop,” insists Konate. “This hatred will take us nowhere.” “I can tell Salvini that he must come to terms with it because we migrants know Italy and we have been here before he was born. Up until now we were fine and now there is the minister who wants notoriety. His laws are for the rich only.” The mayor of Naples, Luigi de Magistris, also participated in the solidarity rally for Bouyagui Konatè, the 22-year-old Malian boy injured by shots fired with an air pistol during the night between June 20 and 21 in Corso Umberto, in the center of Naples. De Magistris participated in the demonstration in Piazza del Plebiscito together with the Councilor for Social Policies of the Municipality of Naples, Roberta Gaeta, and met the young Bouyagui and the representative of the Mandè association, Ibrahim Coulibaly. De Magistris said he was “worried for Italy because a bad wind is blowing, but in this city we want to demonstrate that all people, regardless of origin, skin color, social class and wealth, are united for rights and against all forms of violence. We want to send a strong message against racism, which does not exist in the DNA of this city. We all want a safer city – he added – Neapolitans want it, those who became Neapolitans later and those who will become Neapolitans. Instead of practicing racist policies, Salvini should bring more resources and men to the police force to have more security". According to de Magistris, “the 5 Star Movement must immediately make it clear what the Government's line is, because so far it seems that the line is Salvini's. Only the President of the Chamber Roberto Fico has taken a different position, but in the Government the voice on this issue is that of Salvini. For this reason – concluded the mayor of Naples – we are very worried”. “Let’s open the ports, let’s send Salvini away”: this was shouted by a hundred migrants who gathered today outside the prefecture of Naples for a demonstration of solidarity with Bouyagui Konate. “We blacks have to defend ourselves everywhere and always because the risk is that they will shoot us in the street and no authority will say or try to be on our side,” says a migrant speaking in Piazza Plebiscito. “The law,” he added, “is the same for everyone: if white people shoot black people, no one says anything; if the opposite happened, everyone would talk about it, it would be a scandal and we would all go to jail. The laws of this country will progressively tend to protect only the rich and not the poor, black people or those who need help." “In our city,” said another migrant, “they hit a boy who had integrated, who had done everything for the city and for Italy. We feel like citizens in all respects. We are not illegal immigrants, we are getting our diploma and we are working. Matteo Salvini spreads disinformation, making people believe that we are all bandits. He's only doing it to get 20% in the elections." The demonstration, called by Potere al Popolo and the city's anti-racist movements and committees, was also attended by representatives of the municipal administration, from the mayor of Naples Luigi de Magistris to the councilor for social policies, Roberta Gaeta. “The migrants, these kids – said the former PM – are not a danger for Italy. The real danger is the corrupt and the mafiosi." Also in the square were Ibrahim Coulibaly, a representative of the Mande' association, and 22-year-old Malian Bouyagui Konate: "After what happened to me, I'm scared," he explained, "and if the racist climate continues, I'll be forced to leave Italy."
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